Biology ETDs

Publication Date

5-5-1955

Abstract

The relative biological effectiveness of several radiations of differing specific ionizations was determined. The radiation effect studied was impairment of bone marrow function, and the biological test system used was the depression of Fe59 uptake by the red blood cells of male Sprague-Dawley rats. The effectiveness of the mixed radiations in the thermal column of a homogeneous reactor was compared with 250-KVP X radiation, and the effect of the beta particles of tritium was compared with that of Co60 gamma rays. The effect of the alpha particles of Pu and Ra on bone marrow function was also determined. An RBE of 1.14 was found for the neutrons of the thermal column when compared with 250-KVP X rays, and the RBE of the 4 Mev gamma radiation in the thermal column was 0.6 compared with the same radiation. The RBE of the beta particles of tritium was 1.59 when compared with the gamma radiation of Co60.It was not possible to assign a value for the RBE of the alpha particles of Pu and Ra. The inhomogeneous distribution of these elements in the body made valid comparisons with total body radiations impossible. Plutonium was roughly 20 times as effective as Ra in depressing bone marrow function, probably because Pu was deposited in the endosteum and the periosteum, whereas Ra was deposited in the apatite structure of the bone. The RBE of the various radiations increased with specific ionization, but no numerical relation was evident.

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Biology

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

UNM Biology Department

First Committee Member (Chair)

Wright H. Langham

Second Committee Member

Wilburn John Eversole

Third Committee Member

Edward Franklin Castetter

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